


on my way home to you

by yoonminoml (fanficloverme96)



Category: IDOLiSH7 (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Christmas fic, Eventual Happy Ending, Family Drama, M/M, One Shot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-25
Updated: 2018-12-25
Packaged: 2019-09-26 19:58:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,822
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17148179
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fanficloverme96/pseuds/yoonminoml
Summary: Stranded at the airport on Christmas Eve, world-renowned model Gaku who looks forward to spending some quiet family time, finds company with music student Tenn, who comes home for the first time in 5 years to reunite with his estranged family.





	on my way home to you

**Author's Note:**

  * For [MoriMidori](https://archiveofourown.org/users/MoriMidori/gifts).



> Written for [Tarupedia](https://twitter.com/tarupedia) on twitter for the i7 xmas exchange!  
> And Merry Christmas, everyone ^^

_“We would like to announce the delay of flight FK108 to Tokyo due to unforeseen weather circumstances…”_

 

“Oh, you’ve got to be kidding me,” grumbles a young man, running a hand through his wavy silvery locks as he sinks heavily into one of the chairs at the airport waiting lounge. There is a pair of dark sunglasses perched on the bridge of his nose and a scarf draped loosely around his neck - both attires serving as disguises more than as comfort.

 

For the first time in 2 years during his career as a model, Yaotome Gaku finally has free time to return home for Christmas. Being famous and well-sought after is good in a long-run, but he suffers the consequences of hardly having time for the ones he care about. It took him _months_ of advanced planning and straight-up begging to his manager to not book anything for him during Christmas week, and when he finally, _finally_ had time to go home, he isn’t even sure if he’ll make it in time for Christmas tomorrow.

 

He supposes it’s his fault for booking such a last-minute flight - the last flight of the night, no less - but the last several days were filled with him running around from one photoshoot location to another, to filming countless of commercials of him singing the same _bloody_ song _over_ and _over_ again and drinking the s _ame_ beer _again_ and _again_ -

 

Honestly, at this rate, he finds it a miracle he managed to book a flight ticket, at all.

 

“Now, if I can just get on the damn plane,” Gaku grumbles again, before sighing. He looks around, and surprisingly, or perhaps it’s because it is the last flight of the night, the airport isn’t as crowded as he’d thought it would be. He lets out a soft breath and takes off the sunglasses before hooking it onto his collar. Maybe he could finally rest easy with the disguises for a bit. In fact, there are only several rows of seats filled, and the ones he’s in only had him and one other guy sitting across him.

 

Said guy who is currently staring at him with some sort of amusement.

 

“Uh,” says Gaku, when the stare doesn’t stop. “Can I help you?”

 

The guy smiles a little, as if he’s enjoying some private joke. His light hair moves slightly as he tilts his head to the side, considering Gaku for a moment.

 

“You’re Yaotome Gaku-san, aren’t you?” he asks. “The one who’s in all those Christmas beer commercials.”

 

This is definitely not how Gaku wants to be recognized by.

 

“Are you a fan?” Gaku asks instead.

 

The guy shrugs. “Your face is all over the TV and magazine spreads. Hard not to know who you are, fan or not.”

 

“Seems fair.” Gaku catches sight of the guitar case beside him, propped on the seat next to his. “You play music?”

 

“I _study_ music,” the guy corrects, “Though I suppose that’s pretty much the same thing.”

 

“I didn’t know they allowed guitar cases on planes.”

 

The guy raises an eyebrow. “They don’t. But it’s the last flight, so the security don’t care as much. Pretty sure the row I’m in is empty, anyway.”

 

“Ah…” Gaku scratches the back of his head, racking ways to continue this small talk. “Shame about the delay, isn’t it? Mr…”

 

The guy gives an amused smile. “Nanase Tenn.” He shrugs. “It happens. As long as it’s not cancelled, I’m fine with it.”

 

Gaku sighs heavily, burying his face in his hands.

 

“You sound so burdened, Yaotome-san,” Tenn comments, “First flight delay?”

 

“No,” Gaku admits.

 

It really isn’t, and in retrospect, this one’s probably not gonna be as worse as some of the ones he’d experienced in the first place. He shudders, thinking of a distant memory of being stranded for 12 hours in an airport halfway across the world with not even a carry-on luggage to his name.

 

“But I have somewhere to be,” Gaku continues. There is a quiet pause. “I’m going to see my family, you see. For the first time in 2 years,” he adds softly.

 

He’s not sure why he said this - he barely knew this person and Tenn didn’t even ask - but he just feels like saying it. Makes it seem real somehow. Reassuring.

 

Tenn is silent for a moment. Then, he crosses one leg over the other and props one elbow onto his knee, before pressing his chin against his palm as he regards Gaku for a bit. His gaze slides to the left, where the tall glass windows give way to the night view. Gaku can see the faint twinkling of the stars from where he sits, and before long, a lone airplane can be seen descending from the sky.

 

“Mm,” Tenn hums, breaking Gaku’s train of thought. “We have something in common, then.”

 

“What do you mean?”

 

Tenn’s gaze returns to him, his lips curving into a small smile. “I’m visiting my family, too.”

 

“Oh?” Gaku leans forward. “Home for the holidays, then? Must be quite lonely to be studying so far away from your family,”

 

Tenn doesn’t say anything, but there is tiny shift in his expression - something in his eyes, perhaps, and for a split second, Gaku wonders if he said something wrong.

 

“Maybe,” Tenn relents, “It was my choice, though. I willingly left home to a place far away, so it’d be hypocritical of me to say that I was lonely.”

 

“Huh? No, it isn’t.” Gaku furrows his brows. “I’m often away from my family and friends, too. Granted, most of the time, it was for work, but regardless, it’s not weird to miss someone.” His furrow deepen. “Why would it be?”

 

Tenn smiles softens around the edges. “You sound like you are well-loved, Yaotome-san,” he says.

 

Gaku crosses his arms. “And what? You’re not?”

 

There is another pause. This time, it was drawn out, the silence thick in the air. Gaku winces inwardly. Crap, he must have sounded insensitive. Tenn’s expression doesn’t change - still his usual smooth one - but Gaku isn’t going to risk it.  He bows his head slightly in apology.

 

“Ah-, sorry. I was out of line - ,”

 

“No,” Tenn interrupts smoothly, “It’s quite alright.” He chuckles. “You’re the type to speak your mind, aren’t you, Yaotome-san?”

 

Gaku winces again, outwardly this time. “My old man said that I have a kind heart but a hurtful mouth.”

 

“Doesn’t stop you from having a legion of fans,” Tenn teases. “Especially among the women.”

 

Gaku could only groan at that. Tenn laughs again - there is no hint of him being offended or hurt by what Gaku has said, but Gaku isn’t willing to take chances. Tenn is still a stranger to him, after all, and it wouldn’t look good to him as a celebrity if a stranger posts about an unpleasant experience with him online, something which unfortunately, happens quite often in the kind of industry he works in.

 

Plus, it’s just basic human decency.

 

“What’s basic human decency?” Tenn asks.

 

Gaku blinks, surprised at the sudden question. Crap, he thinks, He must have said that out loud.

 

“Nothing,” he says hurriedly. “Anyway, my stance doesn’t change, though. It’s not wrong to miss someone.” He frowns. “Why do you think it is?”

 

Tenn’s lips quirk. “I never said it is. I just said it would be hypocritical of me to feel that way, since I was fully aware of the consequences of my actions.” He trails off, and there is that look on his face. A flitting shadow across his expression, darkening the look in his eyes.

 

Perhaps it’s just him, or something about being in a nearly empty airport waiting lounge with no one other Tenn to talk to, but Gaku couldn’t help but to get curious. There is also a sudden surge of pity for the person sitting across him, but Gaku couldn’t figure out the reason behind such sudden feelings.

 

Tenn speaks again, breaking Gaku’s train of thoughts.

 

“I haven’t seen my family for five years, you see,” he murmurs, not looking at Gaku.

 

“Because of your studies?” Gaku asks,

 

“Partly, but…” Tenn is silent again. “Something happened and…” He sighs. “To tell you the truth, Yaotome-san.” He looks at Gaku, and there is something melancholic in the way he smiles at him. It makes Gaku’s heart ache just looking at it.

 

“I ran away from home.”

 

* * *

 

 

The pair doesn’t say anything for a moment, but Gaku allows Tenn’s words to linger in his mind longer than he would have liked them to be.

 

Ran away from home? Gaku studies Tenn, who has resumed staring into the distance, not paying attention to Gaku. Gaku’s gaze slides to the guitar case on the seat next to Tenn’s, and the duffle bag by his feet. It’s incredibly small - probably can’t fit clothes for more than a week, but he knows Tenn isn’t a recent runaway since he mentioned he hasn’t seen his family in five years but -

 

“Deep in thought again, Yaotome-san?” Tenn asks, his tone teasing.

 

“You’re joking, right?” Gaku asks instead, slowly and carefully.

 

Tenn raises a delicate eyebrow. “Do you think I am?”

 

Gaku splutters at that, not knowing what to say.

 

“You said you were studying,” he insists, after gathering his thoughts.

 

“I am,” Tenn confirms. “I’m a college student.”

 

“T-then--!”

 

“Studying far away from home is my version of running away from home, Yaotome-san,” Tenn answers.

 

Gaku gapes at him for a moment, gauging the boy’s expression for any signs of deceit, before he finally groans and covers his face with his hands. “Don’t mess with me like that, kid,” he complains, “You had me worried there.”

 

“You’re very kind, Yaotome-san,” Tenn says with a smile.

 

“And you’re testing my blood pressure.”

 

Tenn chuckles, and there is another comfortable silence between them.

 

“Still,” Gaku murmurs after a moment, “Five years is a long time to go without ever seeing your family. You can’t be that busy to be unable to see them at least once. Or is it…” He hesitates. “You can’t afford to?”

 

Tenn’s gaze softens. “No, it’s not that.” He folds his hands on his lap, the edges of his smile wavering. “I just… Before I left for my studies, I had a fight with my family, that’s all.”

 

A pregnant pause.

 

“A fight…?”

 

Tenn nods. “I wanted… I wanted a different future for myself than the one that’s expected of me.” His fingers curl in slightly as he speaks. “My family used to own a showclub, you see. It wasn’t anything big but business was okay, and for the longest time, I was content with what I had. With…” A tiny hesitation. “With what my brother and I had.”

 

There is a soft exhale. Tenn runs a hand through his hair, a tired smiling on his face. It doesn’t suit him - an odd contrast against his youthful, handsome face.

 

“My brother…. He… “ Tenn exhales, “His health wasn’t the best and he had to miss a lot of things in his life due to it. But I… I wanted to fill in those missing blanks as much as I could. I wanted to make him happy. As happy as his frail health could allow him to be.”

 

The curl of Tenn’s fingers tightens before his hands turn into loose fists.

 

“But things didn’t go so well with my parents’ business and eventually it had to close down. My brother’s health took a turn for the worse and my parents wanted to me to take care of my brother while they try to recover their losses. It was that time when I… I received a scholarship offer to study abroad.”

 

“My parents didn’t want me to leave. They had too much on their plate and my brother can’t be left alone,” he continues quietly. “But… the business wasn’t recovering and my brother wasn’t receiving the treatment he needed…”

 

He cuts himself off, his breath shuddering. Gaku slowly reaches out to pat Tenn’s knee, giving him a reassuring look.

 

“What happened, then?” he prompts.

 

Tenn is quiet for half a minute, as if carefully choosing his words. “We fought,” he confesses, “I wanted my parents to realize that my brother’s health is more important than their failing business and taking care of one child instead of two would be so much easier for them so…” He closes his eyes. “I left. I accepted the scholarship and left home without saying goodbye.”

 

A second tick by in the quiet pause.

 

“And your brother? What happened to him?” Gaku asks.

 

“I haven’t talked to him since I left home,” Tenn admits in a whisper, “He heard the argument and was under the impression that I grew tired of taking care of him. When I left, he was still upset with me.”

 

“This is why I didn’t return home,” Tenn adds, when Gaku doesn’t say anything, “I didn’t regret my decision, but I regret hurting my brother. I was… I was _scared_.”

 

He bites his bottom lip, before letting one more shuddery exhale. He leans forward and covers his face his hands.

 

“But I realize… I can’t go anywhere if I don’t clear up the misunderstandings. And truthfully, I just… I miss my family. Miss my brother. I want to see them again.”

 

The last sentence sounds like a confession, and one filled with fear. It is as if admitting it is wrong, and Tenn had hesitated before choking it out. There is a heavy weight pressing against Gaku’s chest as he looks at the person - just a young boy, really, who has yet to be really an adult - and he feels another surge of sympathy towards him.

 

This time, he understands why. This stranger in front of him, who is not really a stranger anymore after that confession, seems... Incredibly lonely.

 

Slowly, he reaches out to place one hand on Tenn’s head, feeling the soft locks of hair underneath his fingers as he pats the boy’s hair softly. Tenn slowly looks up to look at him questioningly, and with a hint of surprise in his expression. Gaku could only offer him a smile in response.

 

“Then, go meet them.,” Gaku says, “They’re your family, after all.”

 

Tenn sees something waver in Gaku’s gaze.

 

“Go see them while you still can,” Gaku continues, and there is an odd sadness in his expression. “There might be a time where you really want to see them, but you can’t.”

 

Tenn opens his mouth to speak - perhaps to _ask_ what he means by that when the pair hears a crackle of static, and a voice permeates through the air from the speakers.

 

_Good evening. We are pleased to announce that flight FK108 to Tokyo is now ready for boarding. Passengers may begin lining up at the gate with boarding passes ready for inspection._

 

“Looks like that’s for us,” Gaku says, already rising from his seat.

 

“Yeah.” Tenn stands up and begins to gather his things. As he walk beside Gaku to the queue with other passengers, he turns to regard the man. “Yaotome-san?”

 

“Mm?”

 

Tenn does a quick bow towards him, to which Gaku blinks in surprise at.

 

“Thank you for listening to me,” says Tenn, “And, I’m sorry for burdening you with my stories, Yaotome-san. You barely knew me, after all.” He laughs softly, running his fingers through his hair again, looking almost embarrassed. “I don’t know what came over me.”

 

“I’d like to.”

 

Tenn blinks at the answer. There is a huge grin on Gaku’s face.

 

“I’d like to,” Gaku repeats, “Get to know you, I mean.”

 

Tenn could only gape at that and couldn’t say anything else as it is his turn before he realizes it. As he hands his boarding pass to the airport officer, his mind reeling from the implication of Gaku’s words, he feels a pat on his shoulder.

 

“I go this way,” says Gaku, pointing to the other boarding gate. Tenn sees the Business Class sign in front of it, and his lips quirk upwards. Of course.

 

“Good luck with your family,” Gaku whispers just loud enough for him to hear. “And… see you when I see you?”

 

He says the last sentence as a question - one, Tenn thinks, he is supposed to answer. Tenn nods mutely, not knowing how else to react. Gaku grins again before walking away.

 

Just then, he feels something slips into his pocket.

 

* * *

 

 

An hour well into the flight just as Tenn is about to doze off in his small but comfortable economy class seat, he remembers something. Slipping his hands into his pants pockets, he feels something graze against his fingers. Gripping its edges, he pulls the object out.

 

It is a folded piece of paper. Tenn unfolds it, and the first thing he sees is a line of numbers.

 

And then, finally, Gaku’s name written at the bottom.

 

_It’s my personal number. Call me when you reach home? - Gaku._

**Author's Note:**

> Feel free to scream and/or say hello to me over on [Twitter](https://twitter.com/tennssi0907) ! Kudos and comments are always appreciated.


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